The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-15
Srecia1 Contributors.
"DEBASlNG THE MORAL CURRENCY.
BY REV. NJ. d. SHUTTER.
Minneapolis, Mimi

Minneapolis, Mimi
The above phrase comes from an es-
say by George Eliot. She thus defines
it: "This is what | call debasing
the moral currency, lowering the value
of every inspiring fact and tradition
so that it will command less and less
of the spiritual products; the generous
motives which sustain the charm and
elevation of our social existence, the
something besides bread with which
man saves his soul alive. The bread-win-
ner of the family may demand more and
more coppery shillings or assignats OF
greenbacks for his days work and so get
the needful quantum of food but let
that moral currency be emptied of its
value, let a greedy buffOOnery debase
allhistoric beauty, majesty, and pathos,
and the more you heap up the desecra-
ted symbols, the greater will be the lack
of ennobling emotions which subdue
the tyranny of suffering, and make am
bition one with social virtue"
In other words, what the writer de-
plores is the havoc made among all
things beautiful and good by the spirit
of irreverence, a spirit that is abroad
to-day like a pestilence. If the plague
be not, in some way, checked, the Ie-
suits will be most disastrous to the ris-
ing generation. Men laugh and sneer
at, and toss aside with contemptuous
Jerking of the head and swapping of the
finger, all that is venerable, sacred,
solemn. Soon God himself will not be
exempt. In addition to taking his name
in vain, men will speedily be making
him the direct subject of their Jokes.
Irreverence has invaded, with more
than vandal tread, the domain of all
that is holy and beautiful on earth, and
in search of other worlds to conquer, its
impudent effrOntery will notpause till
it stands with brazen forehead before
the great white throne. Heaven, hell
and deaths mysterious realm, have
already been annexed to the testers
possessions. One step more, and the
universe will have been turned into a
convulsing farce, with God as the chief
comedian. The faculty of veneration
seems to have been omitted from re-
cent chronological charts. Every head
is ambitious for the cap and bells,
Earnestness is lost in grins and rever-
ence exploded in laugh
Surely there are plenty of legitimate
subjects for wit, without travestying
that which is holy and reverend. "Hav-
ing waste ground enough" exclaimed
Angelo, 'shall we desire to ra2e the
sanctuary, and pitch our evils there 2"
Addison, himself one of the most gen.
ial of English humorists, said, "If the
talent of ridicule were employed to
laugh men out of vice and folly, it
might be of some use in the world; but
instead of this we find that it is gen
orally made use of to laugh men out
of virtue and good sense by attacking
everything that is solemn and serious,
decent and praiseworthy in human
life" This is the objection. The use
of the faculty of humOr is always legit-
innate when exercised upon that which
is essentially humorous or upon that
which deserves the castigation of ridi-
cule. This territory is ample and fruit
full. There is no occasion for overleap-
ing its boundaries. Sacred ground
must not be invaded and its unTight-
eOus annexation sought. With much
that is ludicrOus in the world and in.
human life, there is much that must
awaken feelings of reverence and COM
mand our prOfoundest respect. These
deeper and nObler feelings of our nature
must not be outraged by rendering gro
tesque and absurd the objects that call
them forth. No strange fire must be
kindled upon the altars at which We
pay our homage to all that is lofty and
inspiring, to all that is pure and lovely
and true.
In how many directions does the
spirit of irreverence manifest Itself
We see it in the common treatment Of
everything that is venerable, that is
white with years, or that is invested
with authority. For every custom or
opinion Of long standing, the elamorous
demand is made that it be thrown over,
without asking whether it be valuable.
If it be guilty Of the crime of age, its
doom is certain. Is man beginning